The long and eventful life of an outstanding republican woman was celebrated in her native Killeevan, County Monaghan as friends from Belfast and Monaghan gathered at her graveside on 25 October.

Greta Reel was 91 when she died last June and had acquired legendary staus in republican Belfast where she laboured unselfishly for the cause of freedom for decades.

Among those present were Gretta's sister Molly Finnegan (90), Molly's son Jimmy Finnegan and his wife Marie.

Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín O Caoláin chaired the ceremony and recalled the early life of Gretta, born Margaret McCabe in February 1906. Her family had moved to Glasgow where she was born and after her father's death her mother returned to Monaghan to raise the family single-handedly. Gretta remembered making ribbons for the funeral of Volunteer Matt Fitzpatrick who was killed by B-Specials in early 1922. She moved to Belfast where she worked for the rest of her life.

O Caoláin recalled being brought to visit Gretta by Gerry Adams after the election of Kieran Doherty in Cavan-Monaghan in June 1981. She was intensely proud that ``her own people'' had elected Kieran. O Caoláin drew the parallel with the life of James Connolly - her connections with Monaghan, Scotland and Belfast and her lifelong dedication to the cause of freedom. He then read the following moving tribute from Belfast republican and friend of Greta, Chrissie McAuley:

``I was raw out of Mountjoy Jail in 1978 when I met Gretta Reel at a Sinn Féin meeting held in a dingy office in West Belfast. It was a meeting about organising protest demonstrations against the British government's criminalisation policy of republican prisoners in Armagh women's prison and in the H-Blocks. She was wearing one of her many woollen hats that night which added to the stereotype impression that this was one of the many women of her age group who would come along to such meetings to help out with the less demanding tasks while we `young ones' would take on the world! I couldn't have been more wrong.

``Not only did I get an education that night about my own perceptions of people but I realised from the conversation that this woman had sat throughout the meeting plotting her own course of action regardless of what most of the men present had suggested!

``Coming from Monaghan she was intrigued about the conditions in Mountjoy prison and she talked about the disgraceful litany of oppression and collaboration of ``the staters'' against republicans. I was given a lesson in our history which no book could have imparted.

``When Gretta spoke it was always for a purpose: to encourage you, to share something with you, to sympathise with you or to chide you if she felt you rightly deserved it. That's what I loved and respected about her.

``That night Gretta said that Sinn Féin needed more women in its ranks, women who would organise themselves around issues which affected them as part of their community but as Sinn Féin women too. If we didn't we would, in the long-term, be failing to acknowledge the central tenent of republicanism: the right deigned to us in the Proclamation of 1916, that every Irish man, woman and child of the nation be cherished equally.

``That was it. I joined Sinn Féin. A few months later we were organising ourselves nationally into a Sinn Féin Women's Co-ordinating Committee to debate not just the hard political issues facing women living under British military occupation but to discuss and formulate policy on sexism, stereotyping, sex education in schools, rape, contraception, childcare provision, equal pay for equal work and even more taboo issues then like incest and abortion.

``I remember looking at Gretta as we were painting the staircase of a condemned building we had acquired on the Falls Road to deliver an Advice Service for women - which was unique then - and thinking that if a woman like Gretta, at her time in life, could contribute so much to the struggle, that we were indeed the generation which would succeed in reaching an agreement on this island.

``Gretta was in no small way responsible for nurturing the confidence and politicisation of many women in Sinn Féin who are today involved in moulding the peace process and who will be involved in negotiating a final, lasting settlement on his island.

``Her wee house in Oakman Street was often abuzz with feminist/republican debate as well as being a safe house for the editorial team of Republican News which the British army hounded and tried to suppress. Thanks to Gretta we were able to outmanoeuvre that attempt for many months and get the republican message out across the Six Counties at a crucial time in our movement's development.

``I will never forget her for taking care of us then and literally risking a hefty term in jail. But I will also never forger her as a confidante, a comrade, and a woman who in the darker moments, understood as often only a woman understands, the painful territory occupied by the isolated and the excluded when all you want to be, and do, is your best. Gretta fought second-class citizenship in all its manifestations, whether it was practiced by individuals, by our own party, by the British or the Unionists.

``Lastly, in 1989 I interviewed Gretta for a book I was doing on the political and military participation of women in the struggle for women's self-determination within the context of Irish national self-determination. Gretta was one of those extraordinary, ordinary women who worked day in and day out to move the Republican agenda forward. She sought absolutely nothing in return except that which is the right of every human being to enjoy: justice, equality and freedom.

``Her words then are equally pertinent today. They encompass the multi-faceted involvement of women in the struggle but they also paint up the reality of the ongoing challenge which faces society and political parties today. That is to truly reflect that women are valued and equal citizens. Gretta said `This war could never have continued without the involvement of women. I think the young women of today are marvellous. When I joined Sinn Féin, there was only the odd woman member. There are more now. I was involved in helping to set up the Women's Co-ordinating Committee in 1979 and then the Sinn Féin Women's Department in 1980. There were about five of us in Belfast. We did all sorts of things to raise money to get ourselves started. We didn't get much help either. Even during the hunger-strike we kept going; we felt it was important to continue to organise as women, as well as all the other commitments that most of us had at that time.'

``The best tribute we can pay Gretta Reel and women like her whose contribution as yet remains unsung is to ensure that we strive to shape the society which emerges from this peace process and which enables, cherishes and nurtures every citizen the way Gretta Reel did until the day she died.''

Jackie Dolan: an appreciation

Monday 27 October was the first anniversary of the death of Jackie Dolan, a founding member of Saoirse (Scotland) and one of the organisers of the Scottish Committee for Peace in Ireland - the group which brought Gerry Adams to Glasgow in 1995. Jackie died at the age of 38 after a short but brave battle against the cancer which she thought she had beaten some years ago, but which re-emerged in February 1996.

During her funeral oration, Jackie was described, in the words of the Sioux Indians, as a ``real human being'', and that's exactly what she was. Those of us who worked closely with her during her years of political activity in the trade union movement and in the Irish solidarity movement in Scotland were struck by her enthusiasm and her capacity to encourage others to contribute fully to political life. Her great enthusiasm also extended to Celtic Football Club, of which she was a life-long supporter and at whose ground she met her future husband Joe - she was 14 and he was 16. She became one of the first female supervisors of stewards at Celtic Park - a position she held until very shortly before her death. She was also, for several years, the only female delegate to the local Trades Council and was an active supporter of many trade union struggles throughout the years.

One of the proudest moments of Jackie's life was when she made a presentation to Gerry Adams at the Go for Peace public meeting in Govan in 1995. She happily shared a gulp of whisky from the inscribed silver quaich (friendship cup) with the President of Sinn Féin. It was a memory she was to talk about up to the end.

Jackie's commitment to the prisoners was total. Even when she was ill, Jackie would sit at home and make up hundreds of green ribbons for Saoirse events. In her final days, she asked Joe to make sure that a small bequest was used in some way for the prisoners. Out of that bequest was purchased a commemorative badge for all those prisoners who have served time in the gaeltacht wing in Long Kesh. The badge, a gold circle, enclosing a small lark against a barbed wire fence, was duly commissioned, and presented by her husband, Joe, to Bik MacFarlane earlier this year. By now all those entitled to wear the badge should have received it. By all accounts the badge is very much appreciated, indeed treasured, by those who have received it.

Those of us who had the pleasure and privilege to know and work with Jackie hope it will be a fitting reminder of a brave and much-loved comrade whose short life was spent in the service of others. It will also be, in some small way, a comfort to her husband Joe and her daughter Jenny that she should be remembered in such a way. Our heartfelt condolences and sympathy are extended to them on the occasion of her anniversary.

It is impossible to sum up a whole life in a few words, so maybe it would be best to end by quoting again from her funeral oration. Jackie was the living proof that ``guid gear comes in sma' bulk''.

By Jeanette Findlay